May 2024
Vol #2 Issue #5
Anna Drain Park Project gets 21st Century Upgrade
Story by Rusty Savage Graphics by Kaity Hardwick
Editorial.............3
City Desk..........5
Community.........6
Veterans&Rural . . 1 0
Bu s i n e s s....... 1 1
Crossword & Weather ..12
School News......13
Travel & Entertainment . .14
Vital Statistics.....14
Classifieds...........15
Elkton Landmark
A Pairing, to Dine for
Story by Rusty Savage
Oregon Pinot Noir
Uniquely Superb
Story by Rusty Savage
The city of Drain is in the process of
upgrading the Anna Drain Park into a
magnificent public use project that will
serve the community at large in high
expectation. The Anna Drain Park is named
for the wife of founder, Charles Drain. It
has been here since 1948 along with the
City Pool.
The Park project is an ambitious endeavor
that will bring some surprisingly new
and bright recreational elements to the
current establishment. Drain has enjoyed
the benefit of the Park and also the public
swimming pool since 1948.
The city conducted surveys in 2019
during the creation of the City of Drain
Parks and Open Space Master Plan
(adopted in 2020). This master plan was
used to guide the design for the Anna
Drain Park Upgrade project. These surveys
showed that residents have a strong desire
for a splash pad, upgraded play equipment,
trails, and additional covered gathering
spaces. These were all prioritized during
the park design process.
The splashpad is designed to be
approximately 950-sqft, housed in a
concrete slab measuring approximately
5800-sqft. The new pavilion will be
When you’re talking about American
wines, Oregon’s Pinot Noir tops them all,
rivaling even the finest from Burgundy.
Its cool climate and diverse terroir makes
a perfect crossroad for this delicate grape
varietal. There are many vintages to this
delicate wine so what is it about the unique
Terroir of Oregon Pinot Noir.
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A fresh harvest of dark, compacted clusters of Pinot
Noir grapes, Photo courtesy of Knoll Vineyard
Before we go any further, it’s important
to understand what makes Oregon’s Pinot
Noir unique. Pinot Noir is among the four
grape varieties that are most sensitive to
their surroundings (i.e., terroir). In Oregon,
The Last Stroll
Oakland History - Bridging the Past and Future
Tomaselli’s Pastry Mill & Cafe has been a
landmark in Elkton Oregon for many years.
Originally started by Martin and Dayna
Tomaselli, whose tradition of pastry baking
has been a tradition that goes back over 40
years in Elkton. Initially Martin delivered
his pastries in his VW bus. During their
later years there, Marty and Dayna traveled
extensively, delighting in bringing back to
Elkton pastry delights and the tastes from the
world over. It was in 2022 that Martin was
ready to hang up his apron and after some
heartfelt negotiations, in late 2023, Leslie
and Steve Beckley, married for 33 years,
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On Sunday, April 7, 2024, the bridge
that has stood for 99 years in Historic
Oakland, Oregon, will become lost to time
and relegated to the past. A celebration was
planned for the community to say farewell
with one final walk across the bridge and
the opportunity to share years of collective
memories. It is an early spring day and
although clouds billow overhead, the blue
sky prevails for the bittersweet occasion.
Story and Photo by Nancy Rodriguez
A scattering of red, white and blue, star
shaped balloons, attached at intervals
along the railing, are gently buffeted by
a light breeze, adding a bit of color to the
festivities. People stroll by pop up canopies
that offer cookies, popcorn and brochures,
giving it the look of a street fair but the
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